VE: [softly]
You had an erection.
CM: [nods]
But that didn’t mean –
VE: It’s just a physical reaction, Caleb. It’s not something you can necessarily control. It doesn’t mean that any of this is your fault, and it certainly doesn’t mean you weren’t assaulted.
CM: [pause]
VE: Can you go on?
CM: [looks away, nods]
* * *
Adam Fawley
7 July 2018
19.47
‘You’re saying you don’t remember what happened next?’
Fisher shakes her head.
Kennedy leans forward. ‘Look, what exactly is this Caleb Morgan alleging?’
‘He says Professor Fisher made physical sexual advances, and continued to do so even when he made it clear that he was saying no. Intercourse did not take place, but she did touch him in the groin area.’
Fisher is shaking her head. ‘This is some terrible, ghastly misunderstanding. There is no way –’
She looks down, puts a hand to her lips, breathes. Then she looks up again. ‘Is Caleb OK? I mean, that’s the only explanation – he must have had some sort of breakdown –’ Her voice falters. ‘Look, he’s been under a lot of pressure lately. His research –’
‘So, to be clear, you’re telling us you don’t remember any physical contact with Mr Morgan?’
‘No.’
‘And the bruising on your wrist – how did that come about?’
She tugs at her sleeve, then realizes she’s doing it and lays her hands flat on the table. ‘As I told your technician, it was probably my son. Children are surprisingly strong and don’t always know what they’re doing.’
If she’s aware of the irony in that last remark she gives no sign.
‘What about this morning?’
She frowns. ‘What about it?’
‘When you woke up – were you in your own bed?’
‘Of course I was –’
‘Fully dressed? Nightclothes, what?’
Fisher raises an eyebrow, derisive. ‘I don’t bother with what you so quaintly refer to as “nightclothes”, Inspector.’
‘So you were naked, but you don’t remember how you got there?’
She shrugs. ‘My gown was on the back of the chair, my shoes in the rack. Everything was as it should be. Apart from the fact that I had a headache and a raging thirst, and a child long overdue his breakfast. Don’t tell me that’s never happened to you.’
‘And it didn’t concern you that you couldn’t remember much about the end of the evening? Has that ever happened before?’
She sighs heavily. ‘Once or twice, if you must know. Usually after champagne. I really should avoid Bollinger last thing at night.’
As fuck-yous go, that was about as deft as it gets.
‘That being the case, when we’re done here I’m going to ask our CSI officer to take a blood sample. Just so we can all be absolutely clear exactly how much alcohol we’re talking about.’
Fisher glances at Kennedy, who nods. ‘They’re allowed to do that.’
Asante sits forward. ‘What about the dress?’
Fisher frowns. ‘What about the dress?’
‘Why did you rush to get it cleaned?’
‘I told you. I spilt wine on it. I didn’t want to leave it in the wardrobe in that state. I was worried it might not come out if I didn’t have it done quickly.’
‘But it wasn’t just cleaning, was it? You asked for some repairs to the dress too.’
There’s a flicker across Kennedy’s face which she’s not quite quick enough to hide; this, at least, is news to her.
I open the cardboard file and take out a sheet of paper. It’s a scan of the dry cleaner’s order book.
‘Mend ripped neckline and replace sequins (bag of spares supplied by client).’
I close the file again and look up. ‘What happened, Professor Fisher? How did such an expensive evening dress get damaged at a sedate black-tie bash like that?’
‘I don’t remember.’
‘Or perhaps it wasn’t there that it happened? Perhaps it was after that, when you got home?’
She opens her mouth and closes it again.
‘I told you,’ she says eventually, ‘I don’t remember.’
VE: So she started to touch you. What happened next?
CM: I managed to pull away a bit and turned round to tip the champagne down the sink. I’d hardly had any of it.
VE: How much had she had?
CM: I think she was on her second glass by then.
VE: So then what?
CM: I was still at the sink, and felt her coming up behind me. She put her arms round me and started putting her hands down the front of my shorts. You know, inside, trying to grab my – you know – my penis.
VE: What did you do?
CM: I turned round and pulled her hands away. I said I didn’t want to do this – that she didn’t want to do this. She said I was being ridiculous – we both wanted it. So I said what about Freya and she just laughed. Said something about why have prosecco when you can have the real thing. Then she reached up and pulled my face down – you know, trying to kiss me.
VE: And you tried to make her stop?
CM: [flushing]
I got hold of her wrist – tried to stop her, force her away. She still had the glass in her hand and some of it got spilt. I suppose you could say there was a bit of a tussle.
[pause]
That must have been when she scratched me – I didn’t realize at the time. I don’t think she meant to – she was still pulling at me and her fingers were in my hair and somehow it must have just happened.
[takes a deep breath]
Look, I’m not proud of this but I did end up pushing her away.
VE: How hard?
CM: [flustered]
Hard enough. I mean, not as hard as I could have, but I knew I had to be careful – she was drunk and I’m a lot stronger than she is. But I didn’t know what else to do – she just wasn’t taking no for an answer.
* * *
Adam Fawley
7 July 2018
19.53
‘You’re not prepared to answer any further questions, Professor Fisher?’
Kennedy raises an eyebrow. ‘My client’s position is very clear. These allegations are false, contrived and very possibly malicious. No such incident took place, which means, by definition, that you will find no evidence to substantiate it.’
‘How can your client be so sure, when she claims not to remember anything after the opening of the champagne?’
Fisher starts to answer but Kennedy forestalls her. ‘Because she is a professional. And because conduct of that kind would be entirely out of character, as I’m sure her colleagues will happily confirm. As I said, should you find any actual evidence that these events took place, by all means let us know. But take it from me, you won’t.’
‘What possible motive would Mr Morgan have to make a false accusation? He has everything to lose and nothing whatsoever to gain.’
The lawyer raises an eyebrow. ‘You’ll have to ask him that, Inspector.’
* * *
Archive › 2018 › May Oxford Mail online
Wednesday 18 May 2018
Local MP accuses UK universities of failing victims of sexual violence
By Richard Yates
Didcot and Cholsey MP Petra Newson took part in a highly charged debate in the Oxford Union last night.